26.07.2004

HSE confirms ‘Crane-hire Blitz’

Vertikal.net can today confirm that the Construction Division of the UK’s Health & Safety Executive (HSE) will be visiting UK crane hire companies over the coming months as part of a ‘crane-hire blitz’ to crack-down on unsafe lifting operations involving cranes on hire under CPA crane hire conditions.

In trying to obtain formal confirmation for the possibility of a ‘HSE crane blitz’ earlier in the month (see Vertikal.Net, news, July 16, 2004), Vertikal.net was told by Colin Wood, chief executive of the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA), that although a policy had not yet been formalised, the HSE had “set the wheels in motion” for the planned inspections.

However, in a letter to Mr Wood last week, Susan Thompson, HM inspector of Health and Safety, disclosed that the planned visits, to be undertaken on a regional basis by a team of inspectors who have been involved in the planning and preparation of the intervention protocol, are scheduled to take place during the Autumn/Winter of this year.

Mrs Thompson said that “during 2004/5, the emphasis of our [HSE’s] work on lifting operations will be on the use of mobile cranes on site and we will focusing on the crane-hire industry.

"We have increasing evidence that lifting operations are being undertaken without proper organisation when cranes are hired out under CPA crane hire conditions.

“In particular, we are concerned that those who hire in the crane are not competent to plan the lifting operation and that there is no appropriate supervision once the crane arrives on site.”

Mrs Thompson also said that she would be writing to a number of other trade associations to inform of the planned visits.

“We believe it is important that those who hire-in cranes are aware of our concerns regarding planning for safe lifting and that we will be pushing for CPA contract hire arrangements where they, as clients, cannot demonstrate competence in this area.

* The letter also stated that during the visits, HSE inspectors will be checking that;

- Companies who want to hire in a crane under crane-hire arrangements are competent to plan for safe lifting and what, if any, evidence is being requested to clarify this;

- The correct mobile crane is being selected and provided, and how the crane-hire company makes the decision.

- When a crane arrives on site, and there is no adequate lift plan and/or appropriate competent supervision, what action the crane operator is instructed to take to ensure that unsafe lifting operations are not undertaken by the crane-hire company leaving it open to legal proceedings;

- Crane operators and those involved in making decisions regarding safe planning are competent, and how this competence is kept up to date.